10 years later
Amanda was sitting in a room, thinking about the events that transpired ten years ago. She has become so old to the eye.
Tom had left three months after Jim O'Connor came for supper. Laura had another gentlemen caller that she later married. After Jim, Laura became outspoken. She got out more and became more sociable. Whatever Jim did, he must have done some good. Tom paid the light bill so we got our power back. I have not herd from him since he moved out. I doubt that he even knows that his sister has gotten married.
She met this nice young man form New York City at the Museum. Six months after they met he asked for her hand in marriage. That was five years ago. Laura and her husband have helped me out quite a bit. They help with the bills and helped me get a well paying job.
Laura's husbands name is Mark Bergan. He is a stockbroker on Wall Street. He is working his way up the ladder, down there. He, one day wants to own his own firm.
The war has changed the way people look at life. Laura's husband doesn't have to worry about getting drafted because he is crippled. Not that I go around talking about that.
The whole world changed for me on December 7, 1941. Those damn Japs changed that for everyone. If they had just left our country alone then there wouldn't be so much death and destruction. My job is bookkeeping at a tank factory. It pays well, but also is a daily reminder of how the world has changed.
Everyday I wonder what Tom is doing; if he is safe from the war. I don't know if he has been drafted. The not knowing is killing me. I wish I could find him so that I can say that I am sorry about the fight we had that fateful day. I wish I could turn back time and do that day over again.
Oh well all I can do now is hope that he is as happy as Laura is right now. It is getting late, so I should go to bed so I can get to work tomorrow.
* * * * * * * * * *
Tom while walking home from work was also thinking about that fateful dinner.
Maybe if I had paid the electric bill rather than joining the Merchant Sailors Union, we would not have had that fight. I don't regret leaving but I regret hurting mom's feelings. I had to leave and get my own life.
When I left three months after the fight I moved the Houston, Texas. That is where I met the girl who is now my wife. She was a quiet girl just like Laura, beautiful in my eyes. Her parents loved the fact that I wrote poetry. They even convinced me to send some of my work to publishers.
My wife's name is Kelly Spencer. She is the love of my life and my muse, not that I would tell her that. I asked for her hand in marriage after six months of courting. She said yes, thankfully. Sometimes I wish that Laura could have seen me get married. Three years after we were married we moved to New York City, and have been living there ever since. That was four years ago.
I just wish that I could talk to mom and Laura again. I would like to see how their life turned out without me in it. I hope that they are both happy and healthy. Maybe one day I will go back but I am not ready to go back now. Now I am walking up the steps to my apartment.
* * * * * * * * * *
As Laura was sitting at home waiting for her husband to arrive home from work, her thoughts turned to her brother Tom and her first gentleman caller.
I wish Tom were here right now. I could talk to him about how much my life has changed. He probably doesn't know that I have gotten married. How I wish to share this with him. It would be so nice to talk to him and tell him not to be sorry about what happened with Jim. How was he to know that Jim was engaged when he hadn't told anyone?
I would also like to tell him that I understand why he left. After he left mom started doing the same thing to me that she was to him. I started to just leave the house and wanted to find a way out of the house permentely. That is how I met the man who is now my husband.
Some days I think about Jim and how he changed me. I am no longer so shy. He helped me by showing me that other people who are not in my family find me to be an interesting person. Jim taught me that I need to be more self-confident. It helps for more people notice me for who I am not how I act.
The love of my life met me because of this. His name is Mark Bergan. He is a stockbroker down on Wall Street. He loves me for who I am even though I am crippled, so is he though. We live very comfortably. He is only one year from opening his own firm. I am so proud of him and what he has done.
The war has changed the way I look at life. I am so blessed to still have my husband with me. That's him at the door.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Even though they were all in the same city, they never saw each other again. Ten years after this evening Amanda died. Laura had four children and died a grandmother of six. Tom and his wife had three children and seven grandchildren.